Of Deities and Their Precious Boy
by Nika Raven Celeste
Summary: It started innocent enough. Little Uzumaki Naruto found solace in shrines that scattered around Konoha and made them his second home. What he didn't know was the shrine's deity watched over and hear him. The tapestry of fate began unravel and weave another story when the deities start directing his action.
1. Forest

Of Deities and Their Errand Boy

Chapter 1: In Which the Forest Welcomes

A young, five year old Naruto was running away from mobs who were angry at him. Why, he really want to know, because he behave for entire week. He didn't stay past curfew, he didn't play with anyone, he didn't touch thing, he even _ate veggie_! So why did people still hate him?

The path become narrow. The well-maintained road become nothing more than stone-and-moss covered dirt with big trees at left and right. Naruto almost tripped over the rocks as he ran from the increasingly incensed mobs. As it stood, the distance between him and then become shorter. There's only so much stamina and distance a five year old with short legs can take him away before adults with long legs can catch up to him.

Something red appears in Naruto vision. It was wooden red Logs in H shaped but with roof. Beyond it was an old building in earth and forest color with open door.

Naruto don't know what is it or why it was here, but the door is open and open door mean he can enter and he need hiding place. So with mutters of apology, he enter the building, find a corner that was hidden behind big bush on pot. Conveniently he found a rag and pull it over himself and sat still in attempt to mimicked old furniture.

He know its futile. He had try it before but hey. Last time he didn't hide inside old building so maybe it will work this time?

He peek through a tiny hole in the rag.

Soon enough those big bad men come inside and looking around. One of them with scar on his cheek was angry enough to roughly messing the furniture... as few as the building had.

"Stop it!" The long-hair said, grabbing the scarface's hand. "Don't you see it? This is a shrine!"

"So what?" Scarface sneered. "Shrine mean nothing! The demon brat could've hidden here for all I know!" He looked at drawer at end of hallway and roughly ripped the door open, revealing yellow something. Old wrinkle paper.

They searching for him. But by some miracle they didn't found him.

"Are ya sure the demon come this way?" Robes asked. "Cause I don't sense it at all."

"It can't be." Blackie said. "I definitely saw it went there. Swear on my Kunai."

"Well, maybe he went around and go elsewhere. Probably laughing at us! I mean, look! This place is old and abandoned and open like friggin old box. Who want to hide here?"

_Me_. Naruto replied in his heart. Because he need any hiding place he can get.

"Come. Let's try the forest. Or town. Or near that damned shop who refuse to NOT serve the demon. It probably was there."

Soon enough, they left the building—Shrine, the Long Hair said—and go somewhere. Naruto waited until he can no longer hear their voice or footsteps and waited a little longer just to be sure before he took off the rag and stared.

...did he just successfully hide from them? Really?

Staring at the door in amazement, Naruto felt like butterfly flew in his stomach. It's fun! He finally safe! He can hide from them! This place is—

He turned around and his smile fall.

This place is absolutely _trashed_.

The painting was torn up, the barest of furniture was flipped over, the drawer was open with one "door" on odd angle and unlike its twin, and there's paper scattered off. Oh, has he mentioned broken vases and dead, crushed flower?

Naruto wilted. "Oh man... I'm so going to be in trouble."

With a sigh, he gathered up his will and fix up the mess, as much as he can. Paintings that were too tall he left alone and those that were too heavy for him he just pushed aside to the corners so that nobody can see the mess from outside. Small things were gathered at one wooden box Naruto found and he piled up the papers and put them back in place and close the drawer. It took extra Ooomph! to the broken one but it worked. Crushed flower was thrown out before they dried and Naruto spends some time venture around to find fresh flowers to replace them.

The sky had turned orange but Naruto wasn't done. He want to continue but if he did then it will be dark. People dislike him, but they were more dangerous after dark. And if he get back home then he won't have dinner.

With reluctant sigh, Naruto walked out. He turned back at the painting and murmured, "I'll be back tomorrow."

Naruto arrived at the shrine next morning with determination to fix up the mess. However, when he arrived, he can't help but stared.

The place is... _different_.

The building is brand new with vibrant color and more strength. If the previous one was old fallen tree, this one was vibrant lively and stood tall and proudly. The red thing before the shrine was so vibrant tomato would be jealous. The inside was much, much, much better. The old furnitures were gone and in their place was brand new, strong furniture. Naruto can't help but touching the nearest pillar. This one has carvings. Of plants and flowers and water and fire and spirals. The bushes at corner was so vividly green with tiny blue fruits grew on them.

The painting also different but still the same man. Naruto find he like this one better. The eyes looking more alive and the smile somehow is brighter. More cheerful. He was standing towards Naruto with hand outstretched as if welcoming Naruto or looking for a hug.

Someone certainly has been repairing the place overnight. Naruto almost didn't recognize it if not for the man in painting and that corner he used for hiding—and there! The cloth he used back then was still here. Only washed clean but still blending well with the wall.

It's different. Vastly so. Naruto feels like walking on thin line. Like when people were staring at him but won't say anything or do anything.

But it's okay.

Because the door is open and open door means he is welcomed to come. That alone is wonderful.

No one ever opened their door for him, after all.


	2. Fire Brothers

Chapter 2: In Which the Fire Protects

"THERE IT IS!"

Naruto ran through the street as fast as his skinny seven years old legs could carry him. In his mind he repeated several bad words that were spat to him from those bad mens and more. Suuuuuure it won't help him escape, but it did make him stress less. Why, oh why he take the shortcut to Ichiraku? The long way is fine as long as it near trees but the shortcut always through place filled with lots of people.

Correction: Lots of people **who hates Naruto and would do anything to make him miserable**.

Aaakh! He knew he should stick at his usual routes! Or at least wait till he can ask Jiji to accompany him to Ichiraku! October is the WORST month of the year!

Hearing footsteps getting nearer, Naruto pushed all energy he had to his legs.

Hiding place. He had to find hiding place! Sewers, crater, tree, hell! Ghost House and Cemetery would do! Anything is better than beaten black and blue and waking up in that white creepy place with funny smells!

He saw a gate with red and white colored circle-with-handle on it but give it no thought. The houses beyond the gate feels as empty as it looks so it maybe safe? ...he don't have time to thinking about it. He just come in and ran through empty streets. Mentally cataloging each house and which one is safe for him to hide in—while hoping the owner won't kick Naruto out to mercy of those annoying bastards.

Something red flashes at corner of his eyes and Naruto brightens up.

That gate! He recognize the gate! It similar to the one at forest. Yes the building is different with the coloration and symbol and has less trees... and the fact it looks like two building fused into one, but it definitely a shrine!

And shrine is safe place for Naruto.

Empowered by newfound hope, Naruto changed his direction. He lead the mobs into merry chase through empty house, narrow alley, and run them in circles before he ducks around the corner and dashed into the shrine.

This shrine has two painting instead one but they placed together so well they might as well be one painting ripped into two. There's a shelf and Naruto use his abnormal-for-child agility to climb on it and waiting while holding his breath.

_Please don't let them find me_, he prayed.

The fire before the painting burn merrily. It's odd, Naruto think, as it was seemingly bigger and brighter but somehow also darker? It's like there's two fire instead one.

Soon, the angry mobs found the shrine and rushed in.

However, unlike the Forest, this Shrine _does not welcome them_.

The second the first of them stepped into yard, there's barrage of Kunai and Shuriken launched at them. That alone scares some of more cowardly to ran away from the place.

Then after the rain of sharp projectile died, they tried again... only to fall into deep pit. Naruto can hear the sound of something breaking from his position.

Several has suddenly dragged somewhere by something invisible and left hanging upside down not unlike chicken sold in market district.

The fastest one quickly dashed through all of the obstacle and Naruto dreading that he will get busted and beaten... or worse thrown into the yard and go through all the trap. String upside down isn't that bad, but his dodging skill isn't enough to save his life and... what if he was thrown into the pit and buried alive?! He don't want to die!

...it seems Luck or something equally divine has favored him, because the second the man reach the shrine, the wind blew hard and shut the door with loud BANG! It was as if the shrine was protecting Naruto who's inside it. When he get angry and tried to pull it open, there's something above the door because the man was suddenly looking up.

Then the man was somehow launched beyond the red gate.

Naruto saw this through the wooden bar near ceiling. It was enough for him to see, but not for them to see him.

He then hear them talking. Well, what left of angry mobs, that is. The more persistent ones.

"How the fuck this is happens?" Fuzzy hair complained as he dodge another projectile. Wooden block, this time. "Why on anything holy this place is _rigged?!"_

The yellow-clothes suddenly slapped himself. "Duh! That was Uchiha Symbol! This is the Old Uchiha District! Of course this place is booby-trapped!"

"Huh? Ain't Uchiha District was at other direction?"

"No idiot! This must be where they lived before relocated!"

"...so... these traps are active... because we enter an abandoned _Ninja Compound_?"

"Ya think?!" No sleeves sneered. "Let's get out from here before those trice-damned pinwheel-eye creeps found us. I don't want to be barbecue."

Maybe it's karma for badmouthing the place's owner or something, because as he turn around, he stepped on another trap that punt him out of the bounds much much much faster than Naruto think is possible.

It took them several times, and lots and lots of tries, to get out from here because they keep setting the traps _**off**_.

Naruto let out a relieved breath when they finally gone as he climbs down.

"Thank you." To whom, he doesn't know nor cares. As long as he's safe, it's gold.

He turn to the painting and notice the fire and was very glad that man doesn't enter. What if he flip the fire and burn the place? That was dangerous.

At least the fire is far from the painting.

Speak of painting...

It consist of two people. Bot has spiky black hair and black eyes. Their face looks similar but not same... brothers? They wore similar black yukata and white pants with black flame licked the bottom, but the longer haired one has blue jacket and the short-haired one has red jacket. The long haired one also hold oversized fan with comas on it, and the short-haired one has a sword. Both are holding hands.

Naruto looked at the painting with no small amount of sadness and envy. "I wish I has family too." He whispered to himself.

The flame flickered and wave of hot wind hit Naruto. It... doesn't hurt or uncomfortable at all. Quite the opposite. It's warm and nice. Like when Jiji wipes his tears when he cries because Naruto want to play but no one want to play with him and the ones who did were pulled away by their parents, who look hatefully at him.

Except there's no tears, no hateful feeling. Only sadness and loneliness that was burn away by the heat.

It feels good. Better, even.


	3. Storm

Chapter 3: In Which the Storm Become Solace

The symbol on the shrine is same as his shirt!

Naruto, after the incident in Fire Shrine, had take notice of the symbol on the shrine. The Fire Shrine has fan-like symbol and Forest Shrine has four C-like symbol categorized into two groups and each group facing each other backward and connected by one horizontal slash-like line.

He wondered about the symbol's meaning.

This one, however, this one has same symbol as his shirt has. The shirt Jiji gave to him. That means he and this shrine is somehow connected, right? Right?!

With wide grin in his face and heart thumping fast, he enter the shrine. Take a moment to notice the difference between this one and Forest Shrine and Fire Shrine.

Sure, the two other (or was it three? The Fire shrine is basically two shrines put together) was located in two different place, but their building are more or less the same. This one, however, has different kind of building. Naruto don't know what it is, it just feels different to him!

This shrine also has pond at roadside. A pretty pond with flower with big wide round boat-like leaf but no fish. Well... no one feed the fish so of course there's no fish! At center of the pond was a rock with The Symbol carved on it.

Feeling giddy, Naruto enter the shrine and the first thing he notice, as usual, is the painting.

Then, "Red"

The shrine's inside wall is painted red. A faded red but still red. And the lady in painting has very bright and lively red hair. It's like blood but prettier. Oh, wait! It's a lady this time! Not men! No wonder the shrine feels different, more special! This one has Lady! She's very pretty with red hair that down to her waist (with some were pulled into two flower-like round on her head side) and green eyes and diamond-shaped thing on her forehead. She has pretty white kimono with green at edge and of course! There's spiral symbol on her wide cloth-belt!

That was so cool and pretty! Much better than women at Konoha!

"Nee, nee, Jou-san, who are you, I wonder?"

No one answered. Naruto had expect that. I mean, painting can't talk, can they? Of course no one would answer him!

"You know, we look similar! Well, not much, but I kinda get feel we're similar? I mean, hey! We have same chin? And people with same face or looks are related. Are we related? Are... are you... my mother?" his voice was nothing more than whisper at the end.

"I... I'm gonna ask Jiji. He's really smart. He must be know."

With one smile, Naruto turn around and ran to Hokage Tower, intending to ask Hokage about his parentage.

~X~

"Jiji!"

"Ah, Naruto-kun." Ignoring the fact the boy was practically slammed the door open without knocking, Hiruzen smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"Do I have family? Jiji said this," the boy pointed at red swirl on his shirt, "was special to me, and Ninja have it. So it's special right? And... and there's people with fan and they said it was family symbol so I _have_ family, right? Are all Ninjas my family?"

Well... that certainly was surprising.

"I'm apologize, Naruto-kun." Hiruzen said regretfully, "but you are orphan. Your family... all of them were dead. Long time ago." And oh, wasn't that bitter, painful pill to swallow? Hiruzen still remember Lady Mito, strong beautiful and regal. Still remember what a wild and powerhouse Kushina was. Still remember the red hair and old and lethal elders of Uzumaki and of course, their indomitable spirit. Hurricane gifted form.

"They're gone, Naruto-kun. Gone to place you can't follow." Not yet, at the least. "The red swirl... it was to remember our precious allies, who had fall and gone."

Uzushio fall still leave bitter taste in his mouth. Doubly so because he was Hokage back then and he failed to responds in time so indirectly, he had hand in Uzushio's Fall.

"Oh." Naruto's expression was crestfallen. "So it wasn't for my Family?"

Only decades honing mask and schooling his expression allows Hiruzen to NOT winces. _Sorry Naruto-kun_. "Regardless of that, I think we should end this discussion, ok? Talking about the dead won't bring them back to life. What important is living at the present and looking towards future."

"Oh. Umm. Okay Jijii." Naruto nodded. Smiles too wide and eye shut.

_Don't cry_, he learned early, _cry won't give you anything, cry would only make you hurt more, people will try to hurt you again and make it hurt more if you cry. Smile. Put on a show. Don't let them know. Hide your pain. Pretends everything is fine._

_...because if you believed enough, surely it will become true. Not today, not tomorrow, but someday. Surely._

Nobody tell him that but it's okay. Naruto is loud and attention-seeking and can be motormouth if he want. He was uneducated, hated, and no one want to spends time with him more than few hours, include Jijii, but he's smart and he has fully functioned eyes and ears.

(Naruto learn from listening to people and observing them and then mimic. That's how he learn and survives, after all.)

He learns that people are less nosy when he's smiling than when he's not smiling, so Naruto make sure he can smile anytime he need to.

_(Need, not want. Need to.)_

Hiruzen smiled sadly. He knew it was an ass move of him, but he can't bring himself to talk more about Naruto's family. About his parents. About Uzushio. Because he failed them and he _failed them so badly it wasn't even funny no matter how you look at it_. Because he was responsible to Naruto's current condition.

"Well, it was quite late. How do you think about Ramen, Naruto-kun? My treat."

Naruto looked at him. There's hint of distrust mixed with disbelief behind hopeful blue. "Really?"

"Really. After all I've been cravings for Ichiraku Ramen for a while."

"You sounds like pregnant woman, Jijii."

"Meh. Pregnant women aren't the only one allowed to craves good food."

The mood become lighthearted and not as solemn as before, and Hiruzen think, _diversion worked_. The bill surely will become astronomical, but, _Uzumaki_, what can you do? After all he's a Hokage and he has large bank account. Some little splurging won't hurt him.

It was easy price to make Naruto forget about their little talk from before.

(hint: Naruto didn't forget. He remembers it. He remember every single word said, or at least the gist of it. He tell the Lady in Red and Swirls how the talk went.

He tell her about people in Konoha who wear same swirl on their uniform but look at him hatefully.

Konoha suffers a massive, truly horrifying and menacing maelstrom for week straight, destroying several buildings and shattering windows in Hokage Office and ruined important paper and scrolls and caused a blackout.

The Shrines were untouched. All of them.

Naruto wonder why the Lady look very satisfied about something.)

TBC


	4. Water

**Feelings like fast update. Enjoy.**

Chapter 4: In Which the Water Taught

Naruto is seven (and half) and that means Academy.

Well... the minimum age is eight, but, details. He gonna be eight in few months, after all. What's the harm with entering academy earlier?

Glares? Whisper? Pssh. Old news. They're still hurt and stings, but Naruto is nothing if not adaptive. He had been lives with hatred from almost everyone thrown his way. Give him few more years and he will be immune to it.

Nosy kids? Naruto is nosy and loud so he has no right to talk.

Stingy teacher? Now... that was a problem.

How is Naruto supposed to become Ninja if no one ever told him what Ninja is (beyond having cool jutsu) and what they will do (other than doing things for Konoha). How many Ninjas are in Konoha? What are their rank? Are they work alone or in group? What weapon they use? Does Ninja have holiday because he know some shops closed in certain days or some people take Holiday Leave—whatever that means. How Ninja are paid and how much they paid? Can Ninja keep pets? Can they grow bushes and plants? Does they go out of village?

So many question. Naruto is curious. He want to learn, he want to know. For once, he's even willing to sit down, stay shut, and listens. All because he want to know. There's only so much he can learn by mimicking others.

But no one taught him... no. That came out wrong. No one let him learn. Yes. That was right. No one let him learn.

Naruto was always given detention and punishment for make-up excuses that Naruto know wasn't true but he can't say anything because, face it, who believes him? Teacher are respected, he was hated. People will laughed at him and mocking him than took his sides. And on rare times Naruto allowed to sit down in class, they has exams or he was singled out to answer question he can't answer because he wasn't taught and no one let him learn.

Have he said test? Well, let him elaborate. He was given test that was so different and so damn difficult he can't make head or tails of. And they use Kanji. Complex Kanji that looks nothing more than squiggles. All of the questions. With rare hiragana thrown here and there but not enough to help the blonde boy understood what does it read and what they want him to do. Naruto still learn Hiragana and Katakana. His peers _use_ Hiragana and Katakana and simple Kanji.

Was it any wonder Naruto is a deadlast?

Practice isn't any better.

Shuriken and Kunai throwing is not that hard. It was see-and-mimic. His specialties. Taijutsu? His teacher for once "be helpful" and "corrected" his forms. They were wrong. Naruto know it. He's master in learn-by-see-and-mimic, and he mimicked the best student in his class but the teachers frowned and forced him to "correct" it or they marked him down for another detention for rebelling against teacher.

Naruto was so angry he ran away from the Academy, entering the forest. He was reaching the river when he finally stopped to caught his breath. He looked around and find himself alone, just like he always do, and throw his head back and _laughed_. He laughed and cried.

Naruto wonders if he can just drop out from Shinobi Program (what's the difference between become a Ninja and become a Shinobi)? He mean, no one wanted him anyway. He goes there to escape Villagers' resentment and it obviously failed. If he drop out he can just lives in the shrines, tend them. He can grow his stuff and hunt food down. Clothes might be problem but he can deal with it later—

Something white and blue caught Naruto's attention and when he turned to see it better, his breath caught in his throat.

A shrine. A blue shrine with white pillar and build next to river.

Naruto ran towards it, because it's shrine and shrine always give him peaceful mind and he would like some right now thank you

The shrine is different than other three. It's not big nor it was wide and it doesn't have second floor. But it has hidden room like Forest Shrine and shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls with labels on them. In Kanji and Hiragana. Naruto gawked.

"You have lots of books." He told the Man in Painting. A White-haired man with red eyes wearing black kimono with wave pattern over black shirt and Naruto can't help but think how the Man emitted aura like cat. No, not that Demon Cat running across the village and runs the poor Ninja ragged and cursing. Not that overly girly, lazy-ass cat either. No. The big cat. The kind that was graceful and pretty but can rip your eyes out in matter of seconds. That how the Man with White Hair feels. "Are they yours like Bushes are Forest Guy's and Fires and Coals are Fire Brothers' and Swirls is Lady's? Do you read them?"

Nobody answered him, but Naruto somehow can see the Man's smile as confirmation.

"Wow." He said, impressed. "You must be pretty smart."

If only the man is alive and willing to taught him, now Naruto will be happy boy.

~X~

Zero. Big, Fat Zero on his written exams.

Well, not like Naruto care. He don't have decent book, he was not allowed to learn, was it any surprise.

What makes him angry is his low mark in Practical Exams.

He was sure he should have passable grades! He mimicked the katas perfectly and his kunai and shuriken hit target seven times out of ten each! Why his score is damn near Zero?! It didn't made sense!

Oh wait. It did. The teacher hates his guts for reason no one willing to explains. Why he was surprised?

Because he held hopes at least people here would be fairer. Well. This what he got for being hopeful.

Sighing in annoyance, Naruto walked away from scoring board. Away from academy. Away from Konoha and the lying two-faced villagers who has less tact and brain than boys who universally hated and uneducated.

"Hey." Naruto visit the shrines. "How was you? Sorry I've been visiting less. You see, there's another Shrine I found and I have to visit him too so he won't get lonely cuz lonely isn't fun, believe it." He told the Forest Shrine Guy. "He lives in near river and he has lots of scroll and books and does he read them? If yes then he must be smart and..."

Repeats the same words, even not exact same, to Fire Brothers and Lady of Red when he visits them.

He has feelings they listens to him so he tell them more.

"Hiya!" Naruto visit the River Shrine the last. "Look what I brought! Forest Guy has them ripe! Aren't they pretty?" He put the berries and some veggie on the altar. In one of very rare book he was allowed to read, he know that if someone put food on strange clothed table, it was mean as offering for the deity enshrined. "You know? The Forest Guy? He has long brown hair and kinda girly but so cool, too! And he smiles so pretty!"

The Man in Painting stay silent and frozen, but Naruto _know_ he must be listening.

"Yeah. I meet him first. He was so nice and help me hides from mean guy and he feeds me. Uhh... I hope he wasn't angry I took his food but I didn't take it from altar but from bushes in corner so it kinda ok?" at least Naruto hopes it ok. Altar is No-No. Corner? Who knows? "He has lots and lots of room and sometimes I sleeps here. It was nice and smell like wood and so good. No one hurt me there. It was like, a home, you know?"

"Then I found Fire Brothers. You know? The shrine in abandoned Old Uchiha Compound? The one that looks like one shrine but actually two shrines? With siblings painting and fire burning? Red and white fan? Yeah, that one! It was accident you know? I was chased—again—and I found them and hides there. The mean guys don't even found me? Know why? Cuz the traps! They stuck on traps and get hurt and it kinda funny for me? I mean, sure it hurt a lot but they tried to hurt me so it ok?" Is it normal? Or is it just Naruto? "They call the place Old Uchiha Compound. It was so empty. I don't understand. Why no one lives there? It's wide, has lots of room, and closer to village. But I bet its dusty cuz no one living there, believe it! Why?"

The man's face look like frowning. Ah. Must be the lights.

"Then I meet pretty lady in red with swirls. She's so pretty? Do you know her? She's _pretty_. Prettier than girls in Konoha. Her hair is so red like rose and straight like... like... like _straight _it's pretty. Man, I wish my hair is like that. I would look good with that, believe it! And her swirls is pretty. You know, I ask Jiji what the swirl means since he gave them to me and only me but many adults wear them but many don't like me either it kinda confusing and I ask Jiji. He said it to remember old friends but why he give me? That's weird. He told me to forget it but I can't since it was Pretty Lady's so I told her and others and I told you. Do you know that weird mean storm? It happens after I ask Jiji."

The man frown "disappears" and it felt like that superior not-smile feelings. What was it again? Start with S and end with G...

"It kinda funny, you know? I mean, there's people at Konoha and they don't like me. So I think if I become ninja I can earn their respect but how do I do Ninja if no one let me learn? The teachers are jerks. Just yesterday we had exam and I know I gonna flunk red in written cuz no one give me book or explaining stuff. But I know I do well in physical exam! My kunai and shuriken hit but I got low score? That's so weird that this teme and lazy-ass from my class frowned and ask me if I do something cause they saw how good I did. And they _don't like me_."

"It was kinda funny and so sad I feel safer here, you know? I mean, with people, they hate me, but with you guys and the shrines? I feel safe. It feels like you guys protect me. I'm sure this," he pluck a berry, "was not supposed to bloom this time of year but it did. The Forest Guy always have food whenever I come even in winter and no stuff suppose to grow in Winter. I kind learn how to plant and keep plants alive from him. The Fires kinda taught me how to keep warm and traps and stuff and Lady taught me how to clean and keep koi fish alive. Do you have fish? I can feed them too if you want. I don't mind. I won't go to academy anyways. Better keep you guys company. At least you like me, right?"

Smiling, Naruto took bite from _his_ food and once he had full stomach, he took a nap.

Wake up when sky is orange and yawn and apologize to River Guy and about to leave, but wind today is strong (or is some cool ninja play with winds? Who knows?) and it knocked books from shelves that got Naruto cursing and rushing to put them back.

He stopped when he found some book are simpler to read and were interesting. He looked at other books and found them with various difficulty to read. Some simpler, some so-so, some are hard. It was like... they put into levels. Like video game, yeah.

And they had _interesting _story.

He pretty sure the title was his supposed schoolbook title.

"...can I read this?" The ask the Man. "I mean, it looks interesting and similar to my study so..." he fidgets. "I promise to bring them back—no, wait. I will read them here so when I'm done I just gotta put them back. Yeah. That sounds good."

It must be his imagination, but the man seems to smile.

TBC


	5. Kindness

**Kindness**

Umino Iruka is a chuunin. Had been one for... two years right now. After receiving injury in last B-ranked mission, the medic told him to take absent leave from active duty. Well, more like suggested it with overly "sweet" smile and threat if he took mission before his leg fully healed, he can kiss his Ninja career a goodbye because they will not help him resetting his legs. Mission Injury? Yes. Injury caused by Stupidity? No.

He thought it over and ask, "does teaching in academy count as strenuous activity?"

"Provide you didn't stressed your legs or trying to do wall-walking or water walking, it should be fine."

So, Iruka ask Hokage if he can get spot on teaching rooster in Academy. Iruka always want to be a teacher more than he want to be a Jounin. There's a certain allure and attraction from watching wonderful and respectable shinobi who choose to shaped little terrors into future generation. Nurturing is much harder than killing, but also much more rewarding.

Hokage-sama smiled and allows him to. He then filled the necessary paperwork and instructed Iruka to current headmaster, who in turn give him schedule of which class to taught and the materials.

What a coincidence that one of the teacher, Hisoka-sensei, took marital leave, leaving a spot open. Strangely, no other teachers seems to want to fill the gap, instead they shoved the job straight at Iruka who had no prior experience teaching bunch of impressionable brats.

He soon finds out why.

One of his students happens to be Uzumaki Naruto. Konoha resident Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.

No wonder no one want to take the job.

Iruka doesn't hate the kid. He know basic of sealing. Sealed kunai in a scroll is not the scroll. Uzumaki is not Kyuubi. But Iruka is bitter. It can't be helped that the boy's birthday is the day his parents die. Every year, when Uzumaki grow older by a year, Iruka would remember when his father told him to evacuate to safety, to left him facing the beast. It doesn't help that Uzumaki wear _orange _jacket. There's nothing wrong with the jacket or color orange, except the shade is close to Kyuubi's fur color. Iruka wished Uzumaki picket another color then he can see him eye to eye.

But taking out his bitterness and angst against child who born in wrong day and did not ask for the burden is _wrong_ in so many reasons. But cozying up with him is not easy feat. Not before Iruka can stop feeling bitter and loss whenever he see Uzumaki. So he settle with aloofness and neutral. And keeping an eye on him. He heard stuff from his new colleagues.

Luckily, he was given lots of opportunity to keep an eye on Uzumaki.

In one week, Iruka learn a lot from observing Uzumaki.

One, Uzumaki is not a Monster like what people whisper. Yes, Iruka know, but seeing is believing and now he had concrete proof that Uzumaki is just normal child. With burden he never ask (nor he know). And had quite detachment to his peers and villagers in general (not without a reason.).

Two, his colleagues are idiots. Grade-A idiot. If it wasn't insubordination, Iruka would like to bitch-slapped them. Liar, they said. Menace, they said. Talentless idiot, they sad. Uzumaki is none of them. Yes, he skipping class. Yes, his grades are abysmal and somehow the answer and the question were non-sequitur it wasn't funny. But he is, not by any definition of world, attention-seeking idiot.

And Iruka found out the hard way. In way that left him both speechless and cursing the (incompetent) teachers.

"_Uzumaki, a word if you may?" It was after the class, with their last lesson been bukijutsu, and Iruka notice something peculiar._

_Uzumaki look at him with bored, and strangely enough, defensive looks. He waited until the last student went home before getting closer to Iruka. Even then, there's ten feet distance between them. As if he was expecting Iruka to lash out at him._

"_Yes?"_

_Iruka frowned at the sharp and defensive tone. "Uzumaki, I would like you to redo your Bukijutsu. Kunai, then Shuriken. Target three meters." He handed ten kunai and shuriken each._

_Uzumaki frowned, but said nothing and do the tas._

_Tak tak tak tak tak!_

_Five out of ten for kunai with two miss the red center and three missed the dummy-kun entirely. Three out of ten for shuriken, five scattered at dummy-kun body and the rest two hit the ground._

_Iruka frowned and collect them._

"_Again."_

_Six out of ten for kunai with four miss the rec center but still hut the board. Four out of ten for shuriken with five hit the board and one miss the ground._

"_Again."_

"_Again."_

"_Again."_

_Uzumaki get increasingly frustrated and pissed, yet for some bizarre reason his aim getting better and better. By the seventh re-do, he hit seven out of ten each, with three didn't hit the mark but still hit the board. Well, one shuriken didn't get the board but still landed on dummy-kun instead the ground, but details._

_Uzumaki had talent. Iruka realize it when he copied his classmate's stance. Except somehow he deliberately messed up in throwing. If Iruka was fresh wet-behind-the-ear genin, he will miss it, but he's a chuunin. He know something off when he saw it._

"_Uzumaki, be honest with me, why did you held back?"_

"_Eh? What do you mean, sensei?" He smiled. Iruka frowned. There's something wrong with that smile. Like... fake. Forced._

"_Uzumaki Naruto, I ask you, please answer me truthfully. Why did you held back?" Iruka ask again, this time with firmer tone._

_Uzumaki flinched. It was barely noticeable, but it was here. He mumbled something._

"_Sorry, I can hear you."_

_Uzumaki muttered. "Everyone don't like me. You, the other teacher, adults hate me. Save for Jiji and Teuchi-ji-san. You don't want me to graduate so why bother?"_

_What... what was that? Iruka feel there's history behind it._

_Uzumaki turned and walks away, but Iruka's ears caught something._

"_After all no matter how good I performed, my score is always zero."_

~X~

"Are you alright, Umino-kun?"

"Huh? Oh yeah." Iruka snapped out from his daze. He didn't realize he was staring at the names too long, specifically the last name on the list. "Sorry. I don't get much sleep last night."

"I understand. It was like first C-Rank jibe vibe all over again, wasn't it?"

"Yeah."

A heavy snowstorm hit Konoha in last three days, causing some old building roof to broken down and minor blackout it few district. Genin and Chuunin who are available were called to fix the mess. Iruka would have called in for duty too, if not for doctor's order. Not even Hokage dare to go against Doctor's order.

So Iruka filling in for other teachers, who were called for duty. This week's duty is not that hard. It was exam, after all.

Did not made Iruka any less nervous.

"Hye, you'll be good." He was told. "Just mark their performance and do it fair, ok?"

Iruka nodded, take a deep breath, and start the exam.

Academy exam divided into two part. Written and practical. He was in charge of practical exam. Practical exam consist of obstacle run. A set of track with prepared obstacle in its path. Iruka checked to make sure the trap works and set at non-lethal. The kids are eight, dang it. Then after obstacle run is Bukijutsu exam. Five kunai and Five Shuriken. Target: three meter. After that spar against him. Five minutes each.

The exam rolled in. The kids show what they're good at and what they're bad at. Iruka marked it down with notes of possible improvement and quality as well flaw. This ough to be useful in future.

Finally, "Uzumaki Naruto!"

The boy walked into the exam area with nervous (fake) smile on his face. Iruka can see him bounce the back on his feet back and forth.

"On your mark, Uzumaki-kun." Iruka damn near jumped when Uzumaki turn to look at him with wide eyes of surprise. What? What did he do? He just call him with suffix. There's nothing wrong with that, right? "Please take the exam seriously. The trap set on non-lethal, but if you get hit it still hurt."

Again, what with the deer caught in fireball path look?

"Begin!"

Uzumaki launched like kunai propeller. He stealthfully dodge the traps with not even scratch on his jacket, which was impressive since other kds decide to take off their jacket and scarf so it won't hinders them. The speed could use improvement (although Iruka has suspicion that Uzumaki still held back). Iruka marked down "Stealth-oriented" on Uzumaki's quality. That was good skill for infiltration specialist.

"Next, Bukijutsu. Again, take it seriously."

Uzumaki rolled his eyes, but do as told.

End results? Five out of Five for Kunai, Four point three out of Five for Shuriken. Good good. He take it seriously.

"Last, Taijutsu. Last against me for five minutes. Bonus Point if you can land hit on me."

Uzumaki flinched, but took taijutsu stance. Iruka saw holes and opening here. Oh, that won't do. That won't do at all. So he decided to subtly correct the stance by hitting where he can see the opening. Gently.

"Alright. Thank you for the participation, Uzumaki-kun. You may go now."

"U-uhm... ok? Thanks?"

~X~

"Umino Iruka. What does this means!" Iruke looked up to see stormy face of his colleague, with Uzumaki's score in practical exam. 85.

"What?"

"Why does you grade the monster high!"

Something in Iruka bristled at the tone. "Excuse me? Uzumaki perform well in his exam. It was clear that he took self-study out of school and it paid off. I don't see the problem here." He replied icily.

"Even if he does you should give him Zero!"

...

...

...

What.

"Sorry. Can you repeat that?"

"Are you deaf? Or are you idiot? You don't give monster encourage. You give him zero! That was what a monster like him deserves!"

Snap.

Iruka stood up and even though he was shorter, he glowers harder and scarier. "Konoha Academy Decree number One: Konoha Academy is built to train future generation and prepared them accordingly. All teacher have to be fair and non-bias towards or against a clan or a student for any reasons. I am obeying the rule and decree made by Nidaime-sama. No more, no less." He does not shouting, but the ice and fury in his voice is palpable. "Nidaime-sama, who is a Senju and has long feud history with Uchiha, is capable to overlook the past history and allows Uchiha Clan to enter Academy and even took an Uchiha as his protege. I am just following his example. Now, if you excuse me, I have a diner to make. Excuse me."

He didn't even wait for reply as he walks away.

Unbelievable. Totally unbelievable. How can they do this? YES! Uzumaki contains Kyuubi in his guts, BUT they _are_ Ninja! They should know sealing art! Kunai sealed in a Scroll is NOT the Scroll itself! The discrimination is appalling! And if they discriminate against one student, who say they don't discriminate against other?! Unbelievable!

He will have words with Hokage-sama. People like that is unbefitting to trusted with Konoha future generation.

(Three days later, Iruka got news about his now ex-colleague. Apparently they took his words poorly and tried to sabotage and hazing him. Iruka was out for check up in hospital when it happens. He heard that they tried to destroy his apartment, except a stray white cat landed on their face and make ruckus, which in turn alarms his neighbor, who happens to be Jounin, and apprehend them.

Iruka shivered when he heard the extent of their plan. Good lord. If not for the white cat, he would have stuck in hospital for months and possibly have to retire from Ninja duty.

Speak of the cat... he saw it napping from outside of his windowsill. Iruka found him and fed him fat tuna as thank you. It was big cat, with grayish white fut and black spots across his body and bushy tail.

Too bad it has collar. Iruka would love to adopt it.)

* * *

"_Even smallest kindness shall not be forgotten"  
—Japanese Proverb_

* * *

**TBC**

**Here, Naruto-kun. Have some Dolphin. It's good for your soul.**

**I read somewhere that as Spirit Animal, Dolphin represents harmony and balance. They are highly intellectual and attune to their instinct. Dolphin also symbol of protection and rescurrection. Their playful nature reminds peope to approach life with humor and joy.**

**Fitting, right?**


	6. Sick

Chapter 6: Nursing Hands

Naruto is sick.

Naruto is _sick._

_**Uzumaki Naruto **_is _Sick._

That, was a problem.

See, Naruto rarely got sick. His body immunity and metabolism are top notch. His wounds always heals up within a night of rest. Muscle aches will be gone within five to ten hours depends on how sore he is. Cold? Fever? Give him a day rest and he will be bright as day. Expired food? Let him borrow a toilet for an hour or so.

So when he start coughing and feel dizzy, he pay it no mind. Thinking it will go away on its own within few hours.

It doesn't.

When he wake up the next day, he has sore throat and feeling tired, he knew something is wrong.

There's a bug spread on Konoha. A new kind of sickness. Over half of his classmates caught it and the other half was being cautios. Wearing masker and being extra diligent in hand washing and all.

On third day, out of forty five students in his class, only twenty three present. And even then, they were weary. The teachers were less asshole than usual. In fact they decided he was not worth wasting energy over. The sick students were admitted to hospital.

Fourth day, the number down to fifteen.

Naruto didn't show up for the fifty day. He wake up with sore throat, weak body, and almost fainted in the class. His teacher, for once being not an asshole, and let him go home early. Either that or they don't want to caught the sickness too. Naruto have half mind to visited the hospital for quick check up. You know, so he know what's wrong with it.

One bad memory with Hospital involving crazy nurses and bland food, and the idea was shoot.

Naruto decided to take his day easy. His illness always passed on, give it time. Maybe it will take longer, say, a week.

...

...it doesn't.

Two weeks later and Naruto found himself paralyzed on the bed. His body burns hot like he's on fire, his throat as dry like dried river, and his body is heavy like lead while being weak and brittle. Every cough rattles his body and make his lungs feels like short of failing apart. His mind being foggy like someone stuffed his head full of cotton. His vision blurred and spinning around and around.

Add with the landlord being heartless jackass that cut his hot water for whole week and just switch off the electricity, you have one miserable Naruto.

At time like this, Naruto envied other kids the most.

Other kids doesn't have to go through this alone. Other kids has their parents or relative or older siblings or someone to take care of them. To help them with food or nursing them back to health. To keep them company. To make them feel better.

Naruto? All he has was the shrine.

...he miss them. He miss the shrines. He haven't visited them since his condition become so poor and weak, he can't risk going out.

With nothing to do, with nothing he can do but lays down and bear the pain, Naruto think of the shrines. Of the green vines, and smile, and warm fire, and peaceful pretty red, and cool blue.

His eyes turn watery.

He miss them. He miss them a lot.

~X~

"...sick..."

"Unbelievable. He—"

"...cruel. It's..."

"...do some—"

"Let's..."

~X~

Next time Naruto wake up, the first thing in his mind was, _'what was that?'_

That, being a black blurred figure. The black blur moved when Naruto sit up, and immediately covered his mouth. His stomach lurched at the sudden movement.

"Here." A cool, calm voice speak, and Naruto guided to a bucket.

Naruto was relieved he doesn't have to hold back. He puke his guts out. Oh. Red. Is that blood? Huh. Guess he's more sick than he thought.

The black blur—man?—cursed. "Kid. When last time you eat?" He ask.

Naruto shrugs. "Dunno." He mumbled. "Five? Six?" Come to think... he can't remember when last time he ate something and not vomited afterwards. What he had? Something squishy and yummy and watery. Fruit? Jell-O? Ramen?

The man muttered something and disappear. He return later with something. Setting the thing on windowsill, he helped Naruto to sit, leaning against headboard with the pillow stacked to make it bearable for his poor back. Once Naruto was comfortable, the man took the thing and...

"...is your stomach ok?"

"Mmmm..." Naruto nodded.

The thing, is a bowl of soup. Not cold, bland stuff they give to Naruto. It's warm and delicious. It taste like... chicken? And... tofu? It's good. One spoonful and Naruto already feel better.

Once the soup is gone, Naruto is full and satisfied, he drifted to sleep.

Last thing he know is a warm, calloused hand ruffle his hair, and the voice that murmured, "Get well soon, Naruto-kun."

~X~

When Naruto wake up the next time, he was in bathroom, soaked in nice-smelling _warm_ water.

It took him several minutes to realize someone is with him. It wasn't the black man. This blur has long red hair. The person was washing his hair with such gentleness, he didn't realize it.

"Pretty." He mumbled, reaching out for the hair. It's soft like silk. He know. He remember that one pretty scarf silk Jiji gave him... one that stolen and torn before his eyes by drunkards.

Naruto don't realize the person briefly stopped washing his hair, before resuming. "My thanks." A female voice replied. It's smooth and cool and kinda reminds Naruto of... of... of something. Like storm before it's stormy. Like... ocean. Yeah. Like ocean before storms hit. "You know, my husband said the same thing, too."

"...really?"

"Yes." The lady replied. Massaging Naruto's head in a way that sends the blond to bliss. "You two has a lot in common."

Is that right? That... was nice. No one ever said nice thing to Naruto before.

"Won't he get angry? Your husband..."

The red blur shook. Oh, the lady shook her head. "Rather than angry... he would've love you. My husband had always been good with kids. You two would get along."

"...that's good."

That would be nice... Naruto want to meet with the Lady's husband. He never get along with anyone. Not kids. Not adults. It's not his fault no one like him. But if someone like him then...

~X~

Naruto don't like storm. Don't get him wrong, he didn't hate storm. It just that he haven't made full recovery. He can move around, and his fever had broke down, but he still feel like being burned alive. Storm and heavy rain doesn't help. And the way thunder rolls once in a while, it startles him.

A thunder strikes. Naruto fell out of the bed with a fearful yelp.

It's so loud! It's so close!

A hand touched his, and he nearly screamed.

"Ssshh... it's alright." Someone whispered. Naruto saw black hair. But it's short. The lights are turned off, so he can't see well. "Don't worry. I will not hurt you."

Naruto didn't want to believe. No one ever got this close without him being in pain, but the man lifted him back to bed and tucked him in. Naruto blushed. No one ever tucked him in. It feels weird. Not bad weird, but still weird.

The thunder strikes again, and Naruto clung to him out of reflex.

The man sighed. "I'll stay till the storm over. Is it alright?"

Naruto nodded.

The man smiled and ruffles Naruto's hair slowly, in repeating pattern. Humming a soft song under his breath. For someone with strong hand to sing such a soft song... it... it made Naruto calm down. It was nice. It made him feels like protected.

He didn't feels bothered anymore when the thunder strike for the third time.

~X~

It was middle of the night when two people entered Naruto's bedroom.

Naruto was fast asleep. He did not notice it when they come. Not even when the older one changed the compress.

"His fever had broke down." He said, smiling brightly. "I'm glad the medicine worked."

The younger one rolled his eyes. "Considering it's specially made and blessed, I would be very surprised if it didn't." Despite the half-mocking tone, he was smiling too. "It would be better if Onee-sama didn't make storm."

"Hush. Don't be so harsh. She was just protecting Naruto-kun. Die via thunderstruck is more explainable than mysteriously burn, or drown. There's no nearby river or lake. And plant is suspicious from the get go."

"...true." The younger one nodded. He touched the bedside drawer and a pile of books and scroll popped into existence.

"Oh, you includes storybook?"

"Anija, I doubt Naruto-kun know what a children fairy tale is. He deserves it."

"You're right." The brunette nodded and went to the corner. With a touch, the empty pot filled itself with fertile soil, and a plant grow quickly. Within a minute, bright, big Sunflowers blooms like mini sun(s).

"Sunflower? Really?"

"Naruto-kun is a Sun! I mean, look at him and try to tell me it wasn't the first thing you thought! His hair is blonde, bright, and go to all direction! It's like sunflower! Plus, his smile, his genuine smile, lit up the room like sun. There's no flower suit him better than Sunflower. I also checked, Sunflower is perfectly acceptable Get Well Soon Flower."

"Whatever you say, anija."

"Hey, don't be like that. I know you're smiling." The white-haired man rolled his eyes, before sit down on the bed, next to Naruto.

"A word of advice, Naruto-kun. Do not give up. Do not let whatever people say bothers you. Even if it hurt, even if it seems to be painful... don't. No matter what happens, you are loved. You are treasure." He whispered. gently grasping Naruto's hand.

The brown-haired one smiled and leaned down to kiss Naruto's forehead. "If you ever need anyone, we'll be here for you. but you had know that, didn't you?"

The men stood up and turning around before disappeared. Fading away from view, not unlike mist. Leaving only scent of fresh forest and cool water in their wake.

Naruto would wake up confused, but very appreciative of the get well soon gift. He would treasured the books and taking greatest care with the flower.

If someone take care of him and leaving him gift, Naruto don't mind falling sick once in a while.

TBC


	7. First Friend (?)

Warning: Minor/Background Yaoi relationship.

Chapter 7: First Friend(?)

Naruto had been visiting the shrine for years. All these years the shrine has been a place for him and him alone. No one else was there.

Until today, that's it.

"...what are you doing here?"

That comes out harsher than Naruto expected. But... who can blame him? It was his personal space. Place where he can unwind from the ridiculousness and injustice of the villagers. He wasn't too happy when he found another boy was inside the Lady's Shrine.

The boy turned around and Naruto stopped still.

He has the same black hair and face like that teme. The show-off from his class. You know, the one with a fan on his back. Except, no, this boy has more... what the word? More adult-like? No. Not that. But close enough. And he has only one eye. His other eye was covered in black cloth. What it was called again? Oh yes, eyepatch. He's also older than Naruto. Maybe genin-wannabe old.

"...ope nothing will happen."

Umm... sorry. Care to repeat? Naruto zoned out for a moment.

"I said, I'm just asking for guidance and hope nothing bad will happens." The not-teme repeated. "You know, what people usually do when they were at the temple. Praying for good fortune and avoiding bad luck."

Huh. How was Naruto supposed to know? It wasn't like someone teach him what should he do in a temple. And no one visited any of the temples. Not as far as he knows.

"Really? Figures. Geez... people nowadays have no courtesy or respect to the way of old. How many deities they have abandoned already?"

"Did you read my mind?"

"You were being loud."

"Oh." Naruto could feel the heat rising on his cheek.

It wasn't the first time someone made remarks he's being a loud nuisance, but this is definitely the first time they said it without heat or poison. The boy said it like how other kids tease each other and played a joke. A harmless tone.

It felt kinda... nice?

"I'm Naruto."

"Izu...ku. My name is Izuku."

Huh. No reaction except for the short pause in the name introduction. Weird. Why? It was like he doesn't know Naruto's (unjustly, unfairly) less than pleasant notoriety.

"I've never seen you before."

"You won't. I'm new to Konoha. This is my first time here."

Oh. That explains a lot of things.

"How long are you staying? I mean..." Naruto fumbles at the words. "You will stay?"

Izuku shrugged. "I may, I may not. It depends on the... family business." Again, a pause. "It's... hard to explain you know. Sometimes we stay in a place for a long time, sometimes we're there just for brief rest or a one-time job and then left. Depends on the demands, I may stay for months or leave next week or other."

"Merchant?"

Izuku's mouth curled up in a smirk. It was different than meanie's smirk. It... doesn't make Naruto's stomach lurched in horror. "Well... not quite, but close enough. Again, it's hard to say."

Naruto didn't understand. Izuku didn't explain further. They don't talk about it, only enjoying the peace in the shrine.

For a moment, Naruto thought the Lady smiled brightly at them but... ah. That must be his imagination.

He hoped he won't have to see Izuku again.

~X~

He meets Izuku again, three days later. Worse, they meet at Main Street, in the morning when Naruto (force himself to) went to the academy. Naruto knows he should've just booked it and run, but when he saw that familiar hair and eyepatch, he just stopped.

Izuku was there, looking at books when he suddenly straightened himself and their eyes accidentally meet.

Just in time for a bastard throw rotten fruit at Naruto and yells at him to 'Beat it'.

Flushing in embarrassment, Naruto ran away.

His concentration was all over the place, his temper that day insanely short, he got into a fight with mutt-brat and he was so fed up with the bullshit, he coated the corridor with oil before stealing itching powder from some mean big boys and mix it on the teachers' book. All he did after the lunch break is over. Naruto also skips the rest of the class.

Maybe if Umino-sensei teaches his class he would consider against skipping the lesson, but the somewhat-decent teacher was out for mission so No. Naruto won't have to worry about hitting the wrong person. Everyone is the same.

Naruto avoided Lady's place and choose the River... except Izuku was there, fishing.

"Yo." Izuku's greeting stopped Naruto from running away like a coward. "I thought the Academy lasts till the afternoon."

"Meh. Who cares?" Naruto shrugged, putting up nonchalant 'what-can-I-do' attitude. "What about _you_? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"I don't go to school." Izuku pulls the rod, caught a big fish. "I'm home-schooled. Aniue teach me all I need to know."

Wow. Naruto is so _jealous_. First, no school means no sneering teacher, no unjust blame, no skewed favoritism, no blatant sabotage. Second, big brother.

If Naruto has to give up a hand and an eye in exchange for a loving brother or sister, he would give it in heartbeat.

Izuku glanced at him.

"What?"

"They're quite a bastard, aren't they?"

"Huh?"

"The bad people from the market this morning. Throwing rotten fruit is rude. Had aniue was there, he would set the stall on fire. Throwing rotten stuff at kids was never a good thing."

"Your big brother would get thrown into jail."

"Nah... I give him two days before he pull a jailbreak."

Naruto snorted. That would be a sight he would _pay_ to see but... "Would he really do it for me?"

"Why not? You remind me of our younger brother."

"...exactly how many brothers you have?"

"We were five siblings. There's Aniue, then me, then our three younger brothers. But it was in the past." Izuku's face goes dark. "Our brothers and parents were no longer with us. It was only aniue and me, and our distant relatives who don't even know we still exist."

Naruto feels sorry for him. He doesn't know which one is better. To have no one, or to have people only to lose them. He did understand too well how it feels to be ignored and pretended to be un-person, though.

That was the worst.

Better being unjustly blamed and punished. At least someone looks _at him_, rather than be a ghost.

"But there's also that She-fox, and that loud idiot... and that albino bastard. What did Aniue see in them I would never know! Especially that albino! Ugh, does they think I'm blind or what?!"

"Um... what do you mean?"

Izuku turned at him, and sighed with pitying smile,

"Oh, you poor, innocent sunshine." He stood up and patted Naruto's head. "Don't change, okay?"

Naruto blinked.

What does _that_ mean?

TBC


	8. Makeup

Makeup

Having a friend was _weird_.

Not bad weird, but weird nonetheless.

Izuku was the first one to know about the shrines, to know about Naruto's habit of rambling his day away to the paintings. And instead of commenting or calling him mean names, he just stood there, more amused than anything. 

Having a friend also makes Naruto self-conscious. 

Usually, he would wear whatever clean clothing he had, people's opinions be damned. That's why he sees no problem with a bright orange jacket. Why should he listen to them if they won't listen to him? 

But with Izuku around, Naruto feels the orange jacket is not good. Izuku didn't say it, but his eye twitched and he had to rub it once in a while after staring too long at Naruto. As if the sight of orange hurting him. Like he's about to get blinded. And Naruto?

Naruto feels guilt. He didn't mean to, okay? So he switched the jacket into faded grey.

Izuku didn't say it out loud, but he approves it. Coincidentally, when they meet that time, Izuku was holding lollipops and share one with Naruto.

It's sweet and sour. Orange?

Weirdly enough, coming to the class with that grey jacket made Umino-sensei look at him in the eye and they can talk more than ten minutes. There's another sensei who, while usually give Naruto a stink eye like the rest of villagers, for that one day did not. Instead, she nodded and went away without saying a word. 

Naruto was utterly bamboozled, he rants to Izuku and the Forest Guy.

"I think..." Izuku said slowly, "it's because clothes make the men." 

Huh? What does that mean? 

"Have you seen ninja with bright color?" Naruto shook his head. "Yep. Aniue told me, Ninja usually wears a color that matches their surrounding. In Konoha, you see Ninja wearing dark colors and green. I mean, isn't most ninja wear a green vest?" Naruto thinks about his teachers and nodded. Yeah. They wore the same clothes. He thought it was Ninja uniform or something. "I think it's because there's lots and lots and lots of trees."

So, lots of tree = green + dark.

"What if there's a lot of water? Or fire? Or rocks?"

"Water is Kiri. I have seen their ninja once. They mostly wear gray and white and blue. Maybe because their village name is Hiding in the _Mist_ and mist is grayish-white." Oh. Made sense. "Fire... if you don't realize, we're at _Fire Country_, but if you talk about hot place, then it's Suna. The temperature there... gosh. If you don't adapt fast enough, you will feel like being cooked alive. Aniue tells me that they mostly wear earth-and-sand colored clothes, aside from black, grey, and dark red." 

"Earth-and-sand colored clothes?"

"Brown, reddish-brown, pale yellow." Izuna paused. "You know... if I remember correctly, Aniue did tell me that Suna Ninja could wear eye-blinding color... if they go on a solo mission, in hope of blinded whatever enemy they would encounter. Only in solo, because if they dressed up in blinding-color in team-mission, high chance they will blind their own teammates." 

Huh. So orange is for Suna-on-solo-mission.

"Rock... is Iwa. And like Suna, they wear earth-and-sand with black and gray and red. Just no blinding color."

Oooohhh... so that how is it. Naruto nodded.

Um. No wonder he got less stink eye. Bright orange didn't fit. Gray didn't fit Konoha's dark-and-green, but less eye-catching than orange. Maybe it was Umino-sensei's subtle hint to change his wardrobe into more ninja-like.

Thing is, Naruto isn't entirely sure he wants to become Ninja. He just... he just wants to stop being glared at every turn, ok? 

But if he changed clothes and get less glare, what if he changed himself? Like, his outward appearance?

"Do you think I can fix my hair?" He asks. 

Izuku looks at spiky sun ray that was Naruto's hair and snorted. "You need a hair gel. Tons of them. And even then it only holds up for a few hours at most. Maybe even if you grow it out. You have better luck with wigs." And even then, putting wig won't be easy with how spiky Naruto's hair is. "If you want to play pretend, I think you better hide your whiskers. You know, I never see someone else with whisker birthmark." 

That was... true.

"How to hide it?"

"Easy. Use makeups."

"Makeup?" 

"Makeups. No space. You know, face powder? The thing woman use to make them look beautiful? Or appears to have lighter skin color? Well, some women use it to hide their blemishes, like acne or freckles. Maybe you can use face powder to hid your whiskers." 

Huh. Naruto blinked. That was a good idea. 

"Where can I get it?"

"How am I supposed to know? It was women's stuff and I ain't a girl." 

"But you know about makeup and powder."

"My ma used to use it, blondie. Of course, I know! But not know it all!"

~X~

Luck would have it Naruto found where he can get makeup kits.

Kunoichi Class for older girls.

Naruto was skipping class, again, when he saw a teacher taught older girls how to apply makeup. Face powder, whatever red thingy that makes their lips red, something to make them look like having red cheeks (and why would people want red cheek), and dyeing their eyelids as well pencil to eyebrows. 

Naruto watched it from afar, and once the class is over and they were out, he snuck in and borrowed a makeup kits.

Stealing is wrong, but no shops sell it to him. One, he's hated for some weird reason he doesn't know. Two, it's girls only. 

Desperate action for desperate measures. 

He hides it under his jacket, before ditching the school entirely. There's only one class left and math made his head hurt.

He just needs to know adding, subtracting, dividing, and multiplying ok? Things related to keeping track of his money and not get swindled too much. 

He runs into Izuku, who's talking with some lady. 

"U-uhh... sorry!"

"You better be." Izuku huffed. "Watch out where you run next time. If I was a wall you'll have a concussion by now. And if I was someone else... well..." yeah. No need to finished the sentence. Naruto already knows what will happen. Especially with what he brought with him. 

Speak of that...

"Um... who are you, nee?" Naruto asked the woman.

The woman bowed. "My name is Minami." 

"She's Aniue's friend." Izuku piped up. "Since you show interest in makeup, I ask her to show you how it's done."

Naruto look horrified and betrayed.

"Hey! Don't look at me like that?!" Izuna... flailed? Yes, he flailed. "Look, I know jack shit about makeups and the stuff, ok? It won't be terrible."

Naruto still looks uncertain. 

"Uzumaki-kun, was it?" he woman, he means Minami-san, bends down to his level. "Don't worry. You can trust me in this. I promise I won't mislead you." She said with a smile.

And... well...

Not many smiled at Naruto and actually means it, so...

"Okay."

"Good. Come on."

Minami-san brought him to somewhere less crowded. Izuku went to get some refreshments. While Minami-san went to get her makeup kit ready, Naruto decided to play with his (stolen) kits and try to replicate what he saw in Kunoichi class.

Powder here... a-a-a-ACHOO! Okay. That's enough. Um. Next is... this red thingie, right? Uhh... how did he use it? With his finger? Like this? Yuck. Naruto stuck out his tongue. Taste funny! Bad funny! U-uh... next is this... and then this... and...

"Oi, alive there?" Izuku kicked the door open. His hands are full of refreshments. "I brought some..." His voice quieted down when he saw Naruto. His mouth twitched, spasming, and his shoulder began to shake. "M-mi... Minami... get here..." 

"Hum? What is it—" She stopped dead and slap a hand to her mouth. "O-Oh my Lord..."

Izuku put down the tray before retreated away.

Naruto tilted his head.

"What?"

Minami-san was about to say something, but decided to pull a hand mirror from under her clothes and give it to Naruto and— 

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

HIS FACE! His face is ABSURD! It's white on both cheeks and his lips were red with red line went to his chin! and red on his cheeks are so glaring! And his eyes! And... and... and... GAAAAHHH! HE'S LOOK LIKE A DEMENTED CLOWN!

Faintly he can hear Izuku's muffled laughter from the distance.

Minami's smile twitching, she's clearly holding back her laugh. "And that, Uzumaki-kun, is the reason why you need someone to teach you. Otherwise..." She waved her hand, indicating the cluster fucked up that was Naruto's face. "Here, let's clean your face. Good thing I have face tonic."

She helped Naruto wipes out the Makeup Disaster, cleaning his face thoroughly from dirt, and let the tonic sink in before he taught him how it's done. 

"You don't need lips matte or blush on or mascara. Those for advanced makeups. For now, the foundation is more than enough. You have tan skin, so you pick something that closes to your skin color. Apply it thinly first." 

"You're active, aren't you? Then you better pick up water-proof makeup, so it won't get ruined even if you sweated a lot. I heard Ninja store has good grades waterproof makeup."

Minami-san was very patient. Naruto feels she's leagues better than his teachers. Well, maybe not Umino-sensei, but who cares?

By end of it, when Naruto look at his face, he was stunned.

He's quite good-looking, ya know? Without whisker-birthmark, he looks like someone else. His hair was still stood out, but the hood can rectify it. 

All in all, if he wears a hood to the market like this, no one would see him as Uzumaki Naruto, The Number #1 Pariah. 

It was as if he's someone else.

A thought crossed his mind.

He heard how kids comparing what they look like and from which parent they got it. He heard most Nara have pineapple-hair and lazy attitude, and once overheard a boy complain he got his look from his mom. 

Maybe... just maybe... his face without whisker is how his parent look either his father or his mother?

The mere thought of it made his heart swells and his eyes become hot.

"T-thank you..."

~X~

"Thank you for the earlier."

"It's okay. After all, we did clue my adorable great-grand-nephew of his parentage. Saru may forbid anyone to tell him, but if he pieces the clues himself, well, it wasn't exactly telling, right?" 

"That's true," No wonder that damn Senju feels head over heels for her. This woman is crafty.

"Alright. I'll be off. Take your time here."

"Sure, sure."

TBC


	9. Interlude I

Interlude I

BANG!

The door was kicked open with so much force, it was a miracle it still attached to its hinge and suffer little damage.

"I have an announcement." Tobirama, formerly of Senju, declared. "The stupidity of Konoha's people had tested my patience to limits. If they don't get their wits and common sense together by end of the month, I'll erase their information logs and data and only leave bare minimum enough to run a small, civilian village. And then I'll curse them."

Cue as one, the three other Fire Country Main Deities winced.

Tobirama might be the New God, one whose age is less than one hundred years, and that counting his human's age before ascension. However, he is God of Knowledge, Information, and Wisdom. He can manipulate information as he pleases, especially if it was written on paper.

If he wants a piece of information shared, it will spread within matters of hours, if not days. If he wants information gone, it will be gone from existence, leaving no traces.

And thus his threat is very much real.

"Okay." Hashirama inches away when the white-haired god plopped next to him. "What did they do this time?"

With a wave of the hand, four copies containing information landed on the table. Madara, Hashirama, Izuna, and Mito look at each other before grabbing them and start to read. Heir expression went from curious to incredulous, to royally pissed off.

"WHAT THE _FUCK?!"_

The mortal world below suddenly starts having freak weather.

The first to the third page was all about Konoha's Council's plan regarding their resident Jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto. Basically, they want to corner him even more. So far they got Hospital, Library, and most shop and restaurant bans him from their place, with exception of Ichiraku and the Akimichi Restaurants who stood neutral. Now they want to include Ninja supplier shop, the one who supplies Kunai Toy to Ninja Academy.

Not only that, the fourth page onwards was about the Coup plan. Both from Uchiha Clan, who got tired of Konoha's not-so-subtle bullshit regarding their treatment (The isolation was one thing, the preferential treatment and minor psychological bullying was another), and from so-called Konoha's Shadow Council, who trying to repress Uchiha's Clan influence and cornered them. Oh. Don't forget page thirteen to page sixteen was a compilation of Mission-gone-wrong that involving Uchiha Clan Member as the victim, dated back since one week after Shinobi World War III ended. The name of injured, or worse deceased ninja, the extent of fallout, penalty, the cause (false information, ambush, sabotage, and stabbed from behind—both figuratively and literally), and the perpetrators.

Needless to say, by end of it, both Once Uchihas were seconds away from popping a blood vessel, or a dozen; Hashirama was frowning and glaring at crumpled paper in his hand as the plants at the corner of the room shook and start growing like being possessed, and Mito was damn near gaining permanent tick to her eye.

"I should have snapped that worm's neck when I had the chance." Growled Madara. The papers in his hand burst into fire.

"Ain't we all?"

Tobirama had no idea _where_ did he go wrong with those four. Kagami and Torifu turned out just fine!

Mito took a deep breath to calm herself down, before saying, "Someone has to do damage run and pull strings. If we can't prevent this, then at least we should be able to minimize the damage done."

Some plans still planned, but a good number of those were already in motions.

"Well, lady, there's a problem." Izuna snapped. "None of those fucking mortals want to. And those who want? They can't cuz the bastards on high chairs stone-fucking-walled them. And that wormy bloodline-stealing bastard would paint them as Missing Nin or make them _disappear _in so-called classified missions."

"Who said it has to be mortal?"

It took them a few moments to proceeds that sentence. By then, they were staring at the red-haired Goddess with eyes blown wide and slack-jawed.

"You don't mean..."

Mito nodded. "After all, we can do things no human can do, right? Best of all, no one would suspect us."

That... that doesn't sound like a bad plan. Indeed, as Deity, they have more leeway. Not being bound by mortal's morale and rules, and even if they got into trouble, they can easily use their power to get out of said trouble. Pulling strings from shadow and nudges people here and there also will be easy, because they leave no traces.

"Okay. But who will do it?"

Mito manifests five straws.

Hashirama made a face. "Uh, dear? Sorry, but _No_. You're Goddess of Luck. One doesn't bet against Goddess of Luck." That, and Senju's Luck in gambling is Horrible with capital "H". Tobirama nodded in agreement.

She simply manifests a scale on the table. The scale went from imbalance to balance with loud CLACK, and everyone feel something take a hold on their core.

"Now everyone has equal luck." Mito declared cheerfully. She shook the straws a little bit to shake it. "Everyone can pick up their choice. I'll take the one you didn't pick."

The gods look at each other before each pick a straw. They waited till unseen signal before pulled the straw, and Mito grasped the remaining one before it can fall to the floor.

The results?

Izuna got the shortest straw.

He instantly had 'Why Me' look in his face. Madara not-so-helpfully patted his back.

"Don't worry otouto." The elder Fire God said. "I'll cover for you. Just try to enjoy being in Konoha and meet our relatives."

"Assuming I don't kill anyone first." The younger Fire God said mulishly.

The others didn't say that they were glad it was Izuna who got the honor. Out of five of them, Izuna has the least influence and memory from Konoha. He held neither love, hate, nor bittersweet feelings to Konoha, unlike Hashirama and Madara. His face is unknown, his name is unknown to anyone who is not an Uchiha. He may currently hold a grudge to Konoha so-called Shadow Council, but it was hatred born out of common sense and logic, not disappointed-hared Tobirama had. As a result, if there's someone among them who can do the mission without letting emotions clouded judgment, it was Izuna.

"Fine. How long will I gonna stay over?"

"At least a month or so," Tobirama said. "Influencing mind is easy, making sure they do things the way we want and prevent the fallout from destroying Konoha or the Uchiha or both, now that's a problem. Human's mind and emotions are fickle, unpredictable things." Hence, why his domain can never cover those. "We might also need to seal your power to average Genin level."

"WHAT?!" Izuna shrieked. "WHY?!"

Hashirama glared at him. "Because the last thing we need is for you to destroy Konoha by accident." He said. "And before you say anything, who was it who cause volcano eruption moments ago?"

He got fireball to the face. Hashirama nearly falls backward, chair and all, as he grows a water-soaked vine wall before him.

"Hey! Watch where you aim it!"

"I _am_ aiming at you, pea-brain."

"Whaaaattt?!"

Mito rolled her eyes and think, _boys_.

Madara just looks amused at how his little brother and his best friend-sorta-brother get along just fine.

"How long you think it took him to realize this means he had free reign to crash into Naruto-kun's life as he pleases?" He asks Tobirama.

Because, the only reason why ANBU team who trailed after Naruto never reported it to Sandaime Hokage, was because they keep messing with them. Tobirama always destroyed the paper, no matter how well secured it hidden. And if they tried giving oral reports? Why there was always an accident. Such as coincidence meeting with significant someone, trouble to uncover, or that Hiruzen is busy and while waiting for him, the ANBU team "happened" to listen to juicy gossips from passing-by Jounin and Chuunin, that they forgot what they want to report.

And Root?

Why, more thorough information erasure, of course.

That means Izuna can crash into Naruto's life and personally give him advice and tips as he pleases.

"I bet you a free favor, it took Naruto to literally crashes on him."

TBC

Hashirama, God of Forest and Friendship

Tobirama, God of Water Knowledge, Wisdom, Information

Mito, Goddess of Luck, Creativity, Home

Madara, God of Fire, Protection, and Family

Izuna, God of Fire, Battle, War


	10. Assignment

Assignment

Naruto was angry.

No one knew he's angry. His expression was completely cut off, with the only indication of his mood was the twitching on his eye. 

Once Umino-sensei dismissed the class, Naruto marched up to him and tugged the blue sleeves, hard. 

"Ouch! Uh, yes Naruto?"

"Why I got _two_?"

Today, his class got an assignment. To water and grow love towards Konoha and its people, every kid was given an assignment of searching information regarding a certain shinobi. All but Naruto who got _two_ instead of other's one.

Iruka looked at the name and smiled. "Well, because the are Pair."

"...pair?"

"Yup." The scarred Chuunin nodded. "Most ninja start-up in a team of four. A Jounin and three genins, or rarely, a Jounin, a Chuunin, and two genins. And then the team breaks. Either because promotions into higher rank or someone died, or transferred to another team. The thing is, the team we ended up as Genin, would break apart as we go in our own path. Genin doing missions in team. Chuunin and above are allowed, or sometimes _**requested**_, to take missions with another team or solo. We would climb in rank at our own pace." 

"Then my assignment..."

"...and, here we come to the sole exceptions in the system. The Uchiha-Hatake pair." Smiled Iruka. "Tokujo Uchiha Obito and Tokujo Hatake Kakashi, those two ended up in Team Seven of their generation, in Jounin-Chuunin-Two-Genin team initial formation. Due... certain circumstances, which include Shinobi World War Three among other things, they also are the sole survivor of their team and thus, become very close. Close enough they requested to put in as Duo team, which means, if one took or assigned a mission, the other will come as well. That's why you have two people to research. You can't talk about one without mentioning the other." 

Naruto nodded. It... made sense. He thought Umino-sensei dislikes him and deliberately give him a harder assignment... he was wrong. Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi are a part of the parcel. But... 

"...it doesn't consider cheating if I write it, right?" Naruto asks with a foxy grin. 

Iruka snorted. "Please, I mention you can get information from _any_ sources, just write where or from who did you get it." He answered. "But I'd like it better if you write more about them. You have one week, after all."

Naruto grinned and gave two-finger salute. "You got it, sensei!" He said. "I'll definitely make a good report!" 

~X~

"I definitely am going to make a terrible report." Naruto groaned with shoulders slumped. 

He had been meaning to ask Izuku if he can help him with this. He means, Izuku goes around and meet many people, so he bounds to know famous names, right? Or he can show him who can help him. After all, Izuku is smart he knows people from Suna, Kiri, and Iwa! 

...except Minami-san apologetically said Izuku can't play with him. The ravenette was "_coming down with flu_" and thus is "_not allowed to go out from his room_" much less playing with Naruto, in fear of "_his condition will worsen_".

So Naruto was forced to use the old way: Library.

Well, there are stalking people, but people hate him, and what the chance he'll meet someone who knows Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi? Plus people talk about all kinds of things all the time. Naruto knew. He does that in the shrine and to Izuku. 

So the Library that is. 

Konoha Grand Central Library located right next to Hokage Tower. Naruto used to visit Hokage-Jiji so he knew. He also knew that the Librarians hates him and would throw him out the first chance she got, even if Naruto just stepped in. Old hag, she is.

...but...

But if it was not _Naruto_ who walked in... perhaps he can get the damn book.

Chuckling lightly, Naruto went to get his makeup kits and a wig Izuku gave him as a gag joke to completed his "chakra-less transformation".

Within thirty minutes, the sunny blond-haired, blue eyes, whisker-cheeked boy was gone. In his place was a boy with blue eyes and puffy brown hair covering one eye. To that end, Naruto even changed clothes. He was not a big fan of Kimono. Finding it too swishy and prude for his liking. Shirt and pants to the win! But... but right now he was not Naruto. He was... he was...

Crap! He needs a name right?! What is it... what is it... what is it... umm... Menma? 

...

...

...

Who is he kidding? WHO THE HELL GONNA NAME THEIR KID _MENMA OF ALL THINGS?! _Yeah! His name can be read as fishcake, but it also can be read as _Maelstorm_, like really _biiiiiiiigggg_ storm. Menma? No way!

No. Not Menma. Something cooler. Naruko? Blergh. Girl's name and one character off of his name. Anyone who falls to that lie is AN IDIOT! Bigger idiot than people claims him to be! Arashi? It's cool and not as weird as Menma.

Arashi, that is.

Arashi entered the Konoha Grand Central Library that evening, with the librarian give him a smile and directed him to book about Konoha's great Ninja.

Only to found Iruka-sensei already cover most of them. And the one he didn't? Blacked out.

It was as if someone _deliberately_ erases the information. 

Arashi leaves the library with a very strained smile, the Librarian apologizes over the lack of information and heading straight to the River Shrine. 

He wipes off the makeup, takes off the wig, and start using less than pleasant lesson, taught by almost entire civilization of Konoha. 

"MOTHERFUCKING SON OF A BITCH!"

The way he tripped over a rock and fell to the river feels like someone takes offense of him swearing. 

~X~

THUD!

"Winner, Uchiha Sasuke!"

Naruto's eyes widened. His annoyance being thrown into _so very much unfair, rigged match_ goes up in smoke. He ignores how other students jeered at him in favor of actually looking at his classmate for the first time in... well, _since his first week in the academy.  
_

The first thing in his mind was, _The show-off Teme is an Uchiha? Like Obito _**Uchiha**_?_

Next is, _he's like Izuku, except with shorter hair and two eyes_

And, _WHY IS HE LIKE IZUKU?! HE'S TARNISHING IZUKU'S GOOD LOOKS!_

"Naruto? Are you okay?"

"Uh uh." Naruto stood up and clapped dust off his clothes. Even as he walked out of the ring ("OI! Form the seal first!"), his eyes never leave the Uchiha. It continues in their next class. And lunch. And their afternoon class.

Uchiha-teme was like Izuku... in looks only. But he doesn't have Izuku's dry wit or teasing barbs or his openness to cuss people and call them out if he finds them wrong. No. Teme is closed off and doesn't talk much. And he only listens to sensei. If it was anyone else? One ear in one ear out... if it even went in, that's it! Izuku listens to Naruto and he even has comeback comment!

Teme was nothing like him! Ugh! He made Izuku look bad! Naruto doesn't like him! 

Still...

"Uchiha!"

Uchiha stopped and turned around. "Oh, you." He said. "What do you want?"

Naruto resists the urge to punch him. _Be the bigger person, be a bigger person... _He took a deep breath and asked, "Do you know Uchiha Obito?"

Uchiha look startled. "Oh. Him. Yeah... maybe."

"Maybe? Is that a 'yes' or a 'no'?!"

"I don't know him much, okay?" Teme snapped back. "I just heard his name been mentioned several times. He's... he is not liked much among the clan."

Huh. Apparently, Teme can look frustrated. Good to know Teme isn't smug super all the time. 

"Why do you ask?"

"My Famous Konoha Ninja Assignment was him and Hatake Kakashi." Replied Naruto. "You two had the same last name so I think you know more about him." And Naruto was Disappointed. Capital letter and all. 

"Oh." Teme slumped. "Well... I know someone who knows a lot about him. Maybe I can arrange a meeting?" 

Naruto was surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah. But no promise. He's a good ninja. Like, really good. So he's often out in missions."

"I don't have anything to do." Except playing with Izuku and visiting the shrine. "Just tell me when and where."

"Okay. I'll tell you then."

Naruto nodded.

"...hey."

"Hm?"

"For a show off Teme... you aren't that bad."

Uchiha teme nearly tripped. Ho? He can be clumsy too?

"WHICH PART OF ME THAT'S SHOW OFF?!"

"Your performance~"


End file.
